City of Austin

News Release

APD weekend No Refusal DWI enforcement initiative

The Austin Police Department announced a Weekend No Refusal DWI initiative which began the weekend of January 6, 2017 and will run each weekend through September 2017. Each initiative will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each Friday and Saturday night through Sunday morning.

No Refusal will take place this weekend, Friday, May 19 – Sunday, May 21, 2017. The next No Refusal Initiative will be for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday and the Republic of Texas (ROT) Motorcycle Rally from May 26, 2017 through June 12, 2017 and will be operational between the hours of 9 p.m.-5 a.m.

As with previous No Refusal initiatives, during these dates/times there will be detectives available to assist in applying for a blood search warrant in those cases where a suspect under arrest for DWI refuses to provide a voluntary sample of breath or blood. By expanding the No Refusal initiative to all weekends instead of just holidays, APD hopes to deter drinking and driving when it is most likely to occur. The expansion of the initiative is made possible by grants from the Texas Department of Transportation.

“No Refusal is not about making as many arrests as we can,” said Lt. Blake Johnson with APD’s Highway Enforcement Unit. “It is about keeping unsafe drivers off Austin roadways and keeping the public safe. No Refusal ensures that we have solid blood alcohol content evidence of every arrest and as such enhances our ability to prosecute people who drive drunk and put others in danger.”

Weekends are often associated with parties and gatherings in which alcohol is present. This initiative is to remind everyone that their area law enforcement agencies encourage them to make the responsible choice not to drive if they are impaired in any way, Know before you go, get home safe. The Austin Police Department is focused on saving lives in the Austin metropolitan area and making roadways safe for everyone through education and enforcement.